Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Old Enough

Reviews tagging 'Alcohol'

Old Enough by Haley Jakobson

75 reviews

booksandbesitos's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Wow oh my god it was so good! I don’t usually write reviews unless I really LOVE a book and this one was definitely worthy of one.

The storytelling is so powerful. The characters, even the side characters were written strongly and all distinct from each other.

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mgmsharpe's review

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Omg so good!!!!

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mmmsnacks's review

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emotional funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.25

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dangselena's review

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This was such a beautiful queer coming of age story. I loved the balance of humor and lightness with the heaviness of healing from trauma. Definitely one that leaves you feeling light and hopeful at the end.

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bookishsapphicshay's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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cigarete_smoke's review

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emotional fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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gzaborski's review

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emotional funny reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

Such an impactful story about friendship, survival, and growth that centers and celebrates queer identity without it being the entire plot.
This book was such a gripping read, I finished it in two days. Extremely cathartic, but do be aware there are some graphic sa flashbacks. My one complaint is that there may have been one or two too many side characters. I did have to flip back and forth between chapters to remind myself of certain names.
Such an enjoyable book reminding us that growth is inevitable, and not always easy, but it can shape us into happier better people.

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dancevera's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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kathrynblenkinsop's review

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

In Haley’s acknowledgments, she says that OLD ENOUGH is dedicated to “femme friendship in all its captivating complexity.” - she nailed it.

This novel transported me right back in time. Back to the uncomfortable growing pains that come with transitioning out of who you once were, and the “you” that was always hiding a little bit under the surface.

There were so many things that I adored in this story.

Friendships

Hayley captured the ‘near-queerness’ that a lot of friendships between women go through - queer and straight. It sparked to my mind an article by Sadie Graham where they go on to describe friendship between straight women as homoerotic: “They do realize [it’s homoerotic], and that’s what gives it that sweet thrill of nearness: near forbidden, nearly true.” That rings true to my own experience, and it was validating to see that portrayed in the story through Sav and her childhood best friend Izzie.

Sav’s cultivation of a queer friendships (chosen family) was thrilling.

Bisexuality

I adore a bisexual character, and I resonated a lot with Sav - thank you Hayley for such an authentic portrayal of the bi experience.

**trigger warning - sexual assault**

The way Sav’s sexual assault, and trauma was explored was very nuanced. It opened up a lot of questions surrounding justice for victims and what healing looks like.

This goes on my shelf of “essential queer reading”.

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waitingforthesecondstar's review against another edition

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challenging emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Absolutely loved this. The dissonance between the present and past was impeccable, and it set this really uncomfortable tone of "everything is normal" and also "nothing can really be normal again." A wonderful breadth of queer characters with complex identities in the story and on the page. A powerful gut punch on the topic of SA and violence against women. It made me seeth and sob. So very, very well done.

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